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Leigh High School Newspaper

Predictions for the NHL playoffs

By: Griffin Quadro, Staff Writer

The 2018-2019 regular season has been a wild ride, but hard, competitive, playoff hockey is coming up. Tampa Bay Lightning are obvious favorites with 120 points so far and easily clinching the Presidents trophy weeks ago, but can they keep up the hot season into the playoffs?

In the first round of the playoffs, the Boston Bruins, who are currently 2nd in the NHL, play the high potential Toronto Maple Leaves. All eyes will be on this series as Auston Matthews and John Tavares take on the arguably best first line in the league, Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnak and the rest of the brutal Bruins.

Although the Sharks are without some of their superstars due to injury, including Joe Pavelski and Erik Karlsson, they do still have high hopes on finally winning their first cup in franchise history. Since Pavelski left during the Predators game with a undisclosed injury, the Sharks lost 6 in a row. Hopefully they can have a healthy roster by April 10, when they take on the Vegas Golden Knights in the first round of playoffs. Last year the Vegas Golden Knights pulled off a miracle season becoming the first inaugural team to reach the Stanley Cup.

Senior Jack Fowler says, “I think the Sharks have the best chance to win the Stanley Cup, especially if Erik Karlsson gets healthy. They have a really good team and hopefully their drought is over.”

This year playoffs will be a good one, as ever team has a good chance to win it all. Could the St. Louis Blues stay hot in the playoffs and sweep the Predators in the first round? Will the addition of Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel help the young Blue Jackets get a Stanley Cup?